Nadia Parsons

Sky Painter

Moments of change in a sky are fleeting. Some can have a huge impact while others go unnoticed.

Our thoughts can be just as fleeting, escaping capture. We sometimes have profound moments of hearing our inner voice speak, but often ignore it. Or, we discount or forget it because we are focused on irrelevant distractions. Most often, we lose our gifts of insight. And, we frequently miss the splendor the sky offers to us.

The sky connects us to the world and beyond. It lets us sense the enormity and grandeur of the universe.

As we observe the sky, we can become acutely aware of how small we are in contrast to the vast scale of the universe. We also have an opportunity to appreciate our importance as it coexists with fears of our own insignificance.

We have so many opportunities to capture and hold much more than we do. We can hold onto moments of remarkable beauty — whether they are within our field of vision, or resonate emotionally. These feelings, thoughts and emotions are what I infuse in my paintings.

The sky arouses an enormous range of emotion in me, and I want to express the rawness of it all. When I am painting the sky, these passions are available to me and I have a special place to express them. I aim to convey all of these emotions visibly. Then, each viewer of my paintings can take away the sense of emotion that comes forward for them.

All of my paintings originate as images I have photographed. But, my photographs are merely raw material. I deliberately carry my camera with me.When I see something in the sky that speaks to me, I capture images, often repositioning myself as quickly as possible to gain many perspectives. Because what I see in the sky is magical and fleeting. As I review my photographs I feel compelled to convey particular splendors in the sky — and my emotions — through paint.

The sky can call to me at any moment. Observing a wide expanse over a river, or at the beach, or in a field may be the time when the sky reveals its scope, colors and drama. I am drawn to the sky in the city, too, where the sky may seem to be less accessible. I can find myself in a high-rise, on the highway, or walking down the street and feel just as excited about what I see above me.

When I look up to observe the wonder of nature that is the sky, I feel a profound connection with the world. Whether I include the horizon, structures, or simply focus on the clouds, I paint the sky and declare that I am connected to the universe.